Reservations, Please

by Kathy Lay

This Week's Verse: Colossians 1:4-6, "For we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all of God’s people, which come from your confident hope of what God has reserved for you in heaven. You have had this expectation ever since you first heard the truth of the Good News."(NLT)

Devotion:
Several years ago, Shane and I loaded up the kids and headed to Western Illinois. We were making a circuit, visiting folks from that general large area that we'd not seen in several years. Since we weren't exactly sure how long each visit would take and where we would end up at what time, we didn't make hotel reservations. I mean, spread out over many counties, there would surely be no problem getting a hotel room somewhere along the journey, right?

Normally, that would probably be the case. But on this particular weekend in the largest town between point A and point B (a town that had multiple hotels) there just happened to be some kind of major tournament going on that brought in people from the far ends of the earth. Every hotel in town was booked. And guess what. So were all the hotels in neighboring towns. We ended up back tracking one small burg at a time and finally, hours later, we were able to get our sleepy kiddos into bed after 2:00 a.m.!

What a difference a reservation would have made! A reservation--a spot held just for us, guaranteed upon our arrival because we'd called ahead, agreed to the terms by providing credit card information, and committed to following through. Making a reservation would have ensured rest and refreshment on our journey to the final destination.

What about our final, eternal destination? According to this week's verse, God has prepared a place--already reserved a spot!--for His faithful. With your name down in the book of life (Rev. 3:5) you can set hopeful eyes on the rest and joy completely beyond comprehension that He has waiting upon your arrival there.

No more road weariness, no more uncertainty of the next stop. It's all taken care of.

Father, thank you for preparing our places in eternity with you! We're already homesick and long to make good on the reservation. If there's anything keeping us from being recorded in the book, please open our eyes and hearts to it so that we can rejoice with you for all eternity.

Application: If you are unsure about your heavenly reservation, cry out to God for his direction. Accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior and visit this link: http://www.proverbs31.org/doyouknowJesus/whatDoIDoNow.php

Power Verses:
1 Peter 1:4-5, "...To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time."(KJV)
Psalm 61:5, "For you have heard my vows, O God. You have given me an inheritance reserved for those who fear your name." (NLT)